FATHER BATTISTA SALVATORI, CRM

He was born in Anagni on January 30, 1905, the last of four children. After entering our Order in 1920 in Sant’Angelo inPescheria he attended College at the Apollinare in Rome; his novitiate was in Anagni, and his philosophical and theological studies at the Gregorian University in Rome. He made his Sol- emn Profession on June 1, 1928 and was ordained a priest on July 8, 1928.

The first years of his priestly ministry were in Rome at Guardian Angels Parish. Afterwards, he was appointed Pastor in Sanginesio in 1932. Here also he taught religion in the local schools, took care of the parish of St. Gregory for a few years, and was regular confessor for the cloistered Nuns at the Benedictine Monastery in town .

It was in Roccamontepiano, however, that Father Battista was to leave an impressive legacy of accomplishments. He arrived in the town with Brother Felice Graziosi, CRM, in 1942 following the invitation of the Archbishop of Chieti, His Excellency Joseph Venturi, and with the blessings of our Superior General, Florindo Monachesi and the whole Order. They were all happy to open a foundation not far from the birthplace of our Founder, Saint Francis Caracciolo: Villa Santa Maria.

Father Battista spent 21 years in Roccamontepiano as Pastor of Saint Rocco and Superior of the Convent. He dealt with the horrors of World War II, he collaborated in the physical and civic reconstruction of the town, and was instrumental in awakening many spiritual gifts of the local people for the benefit of the Church:

He built a new church, restored and enlarged the Convent, opened a kindergarten, and, in collaboration with the town officials, updated the water system for the town.

In the Convent he ran a soup kitchen for 350 youngsters, helped a number of poor families in town after the War, and assisted children with nutritional snacks after school.
He was very successful in recruiting vocations for our Order and other Institutes. For several years he staffed a Minor Seminary with priests and lay people in the premises of the Convent.

The Convent of Roccamontepiano

Here is what the “Il Messaggero” newspaper reported on October 24, 1963 on the occasion of Father Battista leaving Roccamontepiano:

“In the Convent of the Caracciolini Fathers in Roccamontepiano, the Fourth Centenary of the birth of the Holy Founder, Francis Caracciolo, was celebrated. Present at the ceremony were the Archbishop of Chieti, Monsignor John Battista Bosio and other civic and religious dignitaries. Father Giovanni Battista, who is leaving the Convent to assume other responsibilities in Rome, offered a greeting to the distinguished guests. The Mayor, Honorable Dominic Di Nardo, remem- bered the long, intense and fruitful work carried out by Father Battista in the religious and social fields during his more than 20 years of permanence in the Convent of Roccamontepiano . In the end, he awarded to the valiant and tireless Caracciolino Priest the Gold Medal in the name of the whole Community of Roccamontepiano.”

The award speaks well of the contributions of this priest to the Order and to the people. After recruiting many vocations (and a dozen of them have become good priests and some of them are still alive), Father Battista spent his last years of retirement in our House of Guardian Angels in Rome. He died on February 10, 1969 and rests in the CRM tomb at the Verano cemetery in Rome.